Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Specific Procedure for Creating A Polystyrene Resin Using Sulfuric Acid?

I want to use Styrofoam to create a resin with sulfuric acid to filter the calcium out of hard water. How do I do this? Can anyone give me a specific procedure?
Here's a link to a similar project: http://cssf.usc.edu/History/2015/Projects/S0615.pdf

Thanks, any help is appreciated!

Hi HannaKim,

It's possible to make an ion exchange resin by reacting polystyrene with sulfuric acid. This reaction is called sulfonation. Waste styrofoam can be repurposed as an ion exchange resin with this process.

To find procedures for this kind of reaction you might try searching on “polystyrene sulfonation” or “styrofoam reaction with sulfuric acid” . The following links are examples that describe reaction procedures:

https://www.fsb.unizg.hr/polimeri/fileopen.php?id=1294

https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... s_obtained

Sulfuric acid is corrosive and can cause burns if it contacts skin. Solvents mentioned in the above (and other reaction procedures) can be harmful as well. This kind of reaction should be carried out in a lab equipped with appropriate safety equipment under supervision by someone with experience handling hazardous chemicals.

I hope this helps. Please post again if you have more questions.

A. Norman